The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) declared on Tuesday that there has been no official government response concerning the indefinite strike over unpaid salaries.
The strike, which began on Monday, has effectively brought university operations across the nation to a halt.
Abdussobur Salaam, the National Vice-President of SSANU, explained in an interview with PUNCH Online that the strike shows no signs of ending soon, with no substantial response from the government.
He noted that while some informal conversations had taken place between union leaders and the Minister of State for Education, these discussions have not resulted in any significant progress.
Salaam said, “There’s no update on the ongoing strike; it continues. Some informal contacts were made between the minister of state for education and our union executives, but there’s been no real progress, just an informal appeal.
“This issue has persisted for a long time, with repeated promises that have not been fulfilled. All our ultimatums have expired, and we still haven’t received any payments.
“The recent invitation was merely an informal call on the phone. We urge the authorities to take decisive action; we have come too far and can no longer accept empty promises. If we don’t receive our payments, we won’t back down.”
On Sunday, SSANU’s National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, along with NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, released an official statement reiterating their demands and confirming that the ultimatum given to the Federal Government had expired at midnight that day.
The statement outlined the unions’ continued insistence on payment of withheld salaries and adherence to previously signed agreements, including the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on August 20, 2022.
Despite repeated ultimatums, no action has been taken by the government, leaving union members increasingly disillusioned with what they perceive as a lack of commitment.
Adding to the frustration is the government’s implementation of a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy, which was originally invoked during a 2022 strike by various university unions. This policy has led to the accumulation of unpaid salaries, which has only heightened tensions.
The unions have stood firm, issuing a series of ultimatums over recent months. In July 2024, they held a National Peaceful Protest in Abuja, where a 10-day ultimatum was issued, demanding the release of withheld salaries to avoid a total shutdown of university activities. Despite these protests, their requests have yet to be fulfilled, deepening the standoff.
